The 10 Highest & Lowest Calorie Drinks to Watch Out for Over Spring Break

Winter seems to have released us from its chilling, powder-white grip.

Punxsutawney [PUNK-suh-taw-knee] Phil, the season-predicting groundhog, and his kooky band of handlers have decreed that winter will end soon.

Some of these events are obviously more exciting than others, but they all mean one thing: spring break is almost upon us! For many of us, spring break includes warm weather, dance music and cold drinks. If you fall into the last category and you’re an of-age collegiette who has spent some time getting to know the bar scene around campus, you’re probably well aware of the hit-or-miss nature of cocktails. Some bartenders serve drinks that taste like 200-proof water, while others create concoctions that make one think of Prohibition era moonshine. And since a high proof equals a high calorie content, it can be difficult to know which drinks should get the green light more often than others. To simplify things, Her Campus has tallied up the 20 drinks that consistently make nutritionists cry foul and the ones that get a little less flack.

If you’ve never tried a Long Island Iced Tea before, let’s get one thing straight: there is no actual tea in this. Absolutely none. Long Islands seem like a good idea for anyone who wants one drink to last them for a long while. What’s more, with up to 780 calories per glass, it’s kind of like you’re ordering a meal, too! But by no means should you skip dinner if you’re enticed by this cocktail. Long Island Iced Teas typically contain about three shots of alcohol, so make sure to have a nice dinner with your friends before going out.

If you’ve ever been to a Dallas BBQ or Blockheads, you already know that Margaritas and their cousin, the Daiquiri, pack a punch (Texas style, anyone?). Like the other high-calorie drinks on our list, Margaritas vary greatly by size and content.

“I can’t wait to order a delicious Piña Colada,” says HC contributing writer and Syracuse student, Heather Rinder—and we totally understand why. This fruity, frothy drink is perfect for poolside chilling. While some serving sizes include as many as 644 calories in just one colada, it’s well worth the splurge when you’re on break. “I definitely enjoy my Piña Coladas,” says HC campus correspondent, Omairys Rodriguez. “They just aren’t the same in the winter!”

The Mai Tai packs loads of different flavors into one glass, but it also packs on the calories. This is definitely one drink that’s meant to be savored and enjoyed, rather than power-houred. Even so, HC correspondent, Nicole Del Negro, considers Mai Tais to be her favorite vacation cocktail. “They’re fun and super sugary,” says Nicole. “Mai Tais are very ‘island’ so I like ordering them when I am on Spring Break!”

If you ever thought you overdid it with Girl Scout Thin Mints, you’ve probably never met this drink. The Grasshopper Martini is a white-chocolate flavored Thin Mint blended with vodka. If that sounds good to you (and you don’t mind the rather hefty calorie count), then proceed by all means!

The Chocolate martini, or the “Chocotini,” is the king of martini spin-offs after the Key Lime Pie Martini. With almost half the calorie content of the first drink on our list (but the same amount of deliciousness), this cocktail might be a nice compromise—even though it’s still pretty extravagant.

The main character in the Coen brothers’ movie, The Big Lebowski, is a huge slacker—probably because he can’t tear himself away from this cocktail. Drinking a White Russian is like drinking an ice cold glass of very, very whole milk. Which is just like Mom used to make it, right?

To the uninitiated, eggnog is strictly a seasonal drink that’s only good as long as the holiday cups at Starbucks last. But actually, eggnog is also served when the temperature rises—think of it as a boozy milkshake that contains just as much dairy and more cream.

This drink presents the perfect opportunity to eat your dessert and have your cocktail too. Line the rim of your glass with graham cracker crumbs, and you’ll find yourself in key lime pie heaven. Just don’t try to count it as a serving of fruit.

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About The Author

Judith is a senior at Washington University in St. Louis with a double major in English and Spanish and a minor in Creative Writing. She is Co-Editor-in-Chief of Spires, a literary magazine on the WashU campus, and a former features intern for Seventeen and Marie Claire. A proud nerd whose greatest joys include LexisNexis and thesaurus.com, Judith can usually be found looking for new music or espousing the wonders of Twitter, Harry Potter, and late 16th century English Literature to anyone willing to listen. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Judith plans to explore as much of St. Louis as she can in her final year of college--even without a car (or a learner's permit...).